Modi- Trudeau stress on ‘Opportunity’ in India-Canada relations after meeting on the sidelines of G7 Summit

PM Modi and PM Trudeau met at the G7 Summit, their first interaction since Trudeau alleged Indian involvement in a Canadian killing. Both leaders struck a positive tone about engaging on economic ties and security cooperation.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Apulia, Italy this week, and this is their first physical encounter since Trudeau was accused in September last year of India’s potential involvement in the murder in Canada.

The meeting occurred nearly nine months after Trudeau said that there was ‘suspicious’ intelligence regarding Indian agents’ involvement in the murder of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia. India had strongly dismissed such comments as ‘misinformed’ at the time, describing them as baseless and unacceptable.

But, both leaders emerged more upbeat after the encounter in Italy; Trudeau told Canadian media he saw an ‘opening’ to work with Modi’s newly victorious government on trade relations and security.

“Having passed through his election, I believe that there is potential for interaction, including on some very pressing issues, such as national security and the safety of Canadians or the rule of law, with which we will be involved,” Trudeau said.

Modi tweeted a photo of the two leaders shaking hands, with the caption: >Had a photo with Canadian PM Justin Trudeau at the G7 Summit.

Responding to a question about the progress made in the Nijjar case, an arrest by Canadian police involving four Indian nationals, Trudeau said that “there is work ongoing very much” in terms of cooperation from the Indian side.

During the brief meeting, one gets the understanding that both countries are willing to leave the diplomatic spat over Trudeau’s comment on Nijjar behind and focus on the areas of mutual interest between the two Commonwealth members.

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Offering a few suggestions for areas of focus, Trudeau emphasized that India and Canada had ‘massive people-to-people ties’ and ‘really important economic ties’. India had also been pressing Canada for years to crack down on pro-Khalistan separatist groups that use Canadian soil to operate.